WYOMING — There’s no hurry for Wyoming to become Kent County’s first community to ban pit bulls. Instead, the conclusion from the police chief’s initial review of possible regulation: “This is bigger than the city of Wyoming and we should look at it from a much larger perspective.”

After all, Wyoming’s not the only city with a dog in this fight.

“The chief sort of threw it to us,” said county Commissioner Harold Mast, R-Kentwood. “I will raise the issue. It’s an issue that’s got pros and cons.”

Both pit-bull lovers and haters spoke Monday to City Council, which heard a report from Police Chief James Carmody about his investigation into the merit of regulating the dogs. A Wyoming man this spring needed surgery after he was attacked by his neighbor’s two pit bulls, and a city cop last month shot and killed a pit bull that Carmody said was chasing people.

The council in recent weeks has heard pleas to ban pit bulls or require that they be muzzled, micro-chipped, registered and insured. Like many communities, Wyoming has a law regarding dangerous or mean dogs, but does not identify any specific breeds.

“They’re just like any other dog. You treat ‘em good, they treat you good. It’s all in how your raise your dog,” said Abel Duran, a Wyoming man who owns a pit bull. “You can’t assume that all pit bulls are out to maul some kid. That’s like racial profiling.”

Without making a recommendation, Carmody cited national statistics that suggest two-thirds of dog-bite fatalities are caused by pit bulls. In Wyoming, of the 30 dog bites reported in the last year, 17 caused injury requiring medical attention, Carmody said. Pit bulls were responsible for eight of those, while German shepherds (3) ranked second and huskies (2) were third.

Still, Carmody said enforcing a pit-bull ban would be difficult because identifying and seizing pit bulls could pose liability issues. He said 27 Michigan cities have pit-bull regulations of some kind, though none in Kent County.

A state bill that eventually would ban pit bulls also has been proposed.

Pit-bull lovers told the council Monday their pets are “lap dogs” that play with neighbor children.
Yet a ban advocate said “it’s a sign of how selfish our society has become” that people want to house a dog that could maim or kill another person.

“Our government is responsible to err on the side of safety,” Joan Caldwell said. “We cannot bring back dead babies. We cannot bring back limbs that people no longer have.”